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Valentino Fashion Shows: Designer Directory on Style.com
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Valentino

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During his nearly half-century career, the recently retired Valentino Garavani never skimped on his personal expenses, nor did he ever expect his customers to. Among his friends he counted princesses (Margaret) and movie stars (Elizabeth)—and his friends, inevitably, were his clients.

A virtuoso with delicate lace and chiffon, Valentino created a brand of glamour that was, and remains, all about opulent femininity. He championed alta moda for over 40 years—long after many houses had given up the couture ghost—and practically owned the color red. What does it tell you that both Jacqueline Onassis and Jennifer Lopez were married in gowns designed by the maestro?

Born in Italy in 1932, Valentino moved to Paris at 17. After working with Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche, he returned home in 1960 to set up his own atelier in Rome. There he partnered (professionally and personally) with Giancarlo Giammetti, who oversaw the financial end of the business. It was to prove one of fashion's most enduringly successful relationships.

Valentino's first major show, in 1962 at the Pitti Palace in Florence, announced his arrival on the international scene. Six years later, his Collezione Bianca made a monochrome splash and, with the unveiling of the house's now iconic "V" logo, paved the way for a global obsession with expensive initials. Valentino the man was almost as famous for his lifestyle as for his ravishing red-carpet gowns: He kept a 152-foot yacht kitted out with Picassos and four flat-screen televisions, and was reported to travel with a retinue that included a butler and six pugs.

France, in gratitude for Valentino's services to haute couture, honored him with the ultimate compliment in 2006: He was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. The designer celebrated the 45th anniversary of his career in 2007 with a three-day blowout in Rome; shortly thereafter, he announced his retirement. Alessandra Facchinetti—who had some prior experience with shoe-filling, having briefly stepped into Tom Ford's loafers at Gucci—was named Valentino's successor. After two ready-to-wear seasons and mostly positive reviews, she was replaced by the house's longtime accessory designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. The label's new owner, Permira, hopes to capitalize on the ten years the duo spent working at Valentino's side.

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FASHION SHOWS (57)

Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear

reviews and complete collections

October 5, 2010 12:00AM

  1. All Seasons

  2. Ready-to-wear

  3. Resort

  4. Pre-Fall

  5. Couture

  6. Menswear

select a collection
  1. Spring 2011 RTW
  2. Fall 2010 Couture
  3. Resort 2011
  4. Fall 2010 RTW
  5. Spring 2010 Couture
  6. Pre-Fall 2010
  7. Spring 2010 RTW
  8. Fall 2009 Couture
  9. Fall 2009 RTW
  10. Spring 2009 Couture
  11. Spring 2009 RTW
  12. Fall 2008 Couture
  13. Spring 2009 Menswear
  14. Resort 2009
  15. Fall 2008 RTW
  16. Spring 2008 Couture
  17. Fall 2008 Menswear
  18. Pre-Fall 2008
  19. Spring 2008 RTW
  20. Fall 2007 Couture
  21. Spring 2008 Menswear
  22. Resort 2008
  23. Fall 2007 RTW
  24. Spring 2007 Couture
  25. Fall 2007 Menswear
  26. Spring 2007 RTW
  27. Fall 2006 Couture
  28. Spring 2007 Menswear
  29. Fall 2006 RTW
  30. Spring 2006 Couture
  31. Fall 2006 Menswear
  32. Spring 2006 RTW
  33. Fall 2005 Couture
  34. Spring 2006 Menswear
  35. Fall 2005 RTW
  36. Spring 2005 Couture
  37. Fall 2005 Menswear
  38. Spring 2005 RTW
  39. Fall 2004 Couture
  40. Spring 2005 Menswear
  41. Fall 2004 RTW
  42. Spring 2004 Couture
  43. Fall 2003 Couture
  44. Spring 2004 RTW
  45. Fall 2003 RTW
  46. Spring 2003 Couture
  47. Fall 2002 Couture
  48. Spring 2003 RTW
  49. Fall 2002 RTW
  50. Spring 2002 Couture
  51. Spring 2002 RTW
  52. Fall 2001 Couture
  53. Fall 2001 RTW
  54. Spring 2001 Couture
  55. Spring 2001 RTW
  56. Fall 2000 RTW
  57. Spring 2000 RTW
  1. Spring 2011 RTW
  2. Fall 2010 RTW
  3. Spring 2010 RTW
  4. Fall 2009 RTW
  5. Spring 2009 RTW
  6. Fall 2008 RTW
  7. Spring 2008 RTW
  8. Fall 2007 RTW
  9. Spring 2007 RTW
  10. Fall 2006 RTW
  11. Spring 2006 RTW
  12. Fall 2005 RTW
  13. Spring 2005 RTW
  14. Fall 2004 RTW
  15. Spring 2004 RTW
  16. Fall 2003 RTW
  17. Spring 2003 RTW
  18. Fall 2002 RTW
  19. Spring 2002 RTW
  20. Fall 2001 RTW
  21. Spring 2001 RTW
  22. Fall 2000 RTW
  23. Spring 2000 RTW
  1. Resort 2011
  2. Resort 2009
  3. Resort 2008
  1. Pre-Fall 2010
  2. Pre-Fall 2008
  1. Fall 2010 Couture
  2. Spring 2010 Couture
  3. Fall 2009 Couture
  4. Spring 2009 Couture
  5. Fall 2008 Couture
  6. Spring 2008 Couture
  7. Fall 2007 Couture
  8. Spring 2007 Couture
  9. Fall 2006 Couture
  10. Spring 2006 Couture
  11. Fall 2005 Couture
  12. Spring 2005 Couture
  13. Fall 2004 Couture
  14. Spring 2004 Couture
  15. Fall 2003 Couture
  16. Spring 2003 Couture
  17. Fall 2002 Couture
  18. Spring 2002 Couture
  19. Fall 2001 Couture
  20. Spring 2001 Couture
  1. Spring 2009 Menswear
  2. Fall 2008 Menswear
  3. Spring 2008 Menswear
  4. Fall 2007 Menswear
  5. Spring 2007 Menswear
  6. Fall 2006 Menswear
  7. Spring 2006 Menswear
  8. Fall 2005 Menswear
  9. Spring 2005 Menswear

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